To My Mom

Here are 50 reasons I’m glad you’re my Mom...

1. You have a kind heart to the less fortunate.
2. Your laugh is contagious- especially when it's natural humor.
3. You were a fantastic single mom!
4. You love your job and have always worked hard for everything you own.
5. You love to shop.
6. Everybody is always welcome at your house. 
7. You cook the best soul food- especially fried okra!
8. You still peel my tomatoes whenever we're together.
9. You have the prettiest green eyes.
10. You love your mom more than any other person in the world.
11. You stand up for what you believe in.
12. You are low-key.
13. You are honest.
14. You value your sisters- and they value you.
15. You love costume jewelry! 
16. Daisies are your favorite and the color yellow will forever remind me of you.
17. You would give Michael and me the shirt off your back.
18. In fact, you would give anybody the shirt off your back.
19. You can laugh at yourself when necessary.
20. You know how to do everything. I'm pretty sure you could build your own house if you had to.
21. Everyone is considered family at your house.
22. We always had home-cooked meals growing up.
23. You're confident.
24. You have a soft spot in your heart for animals.
25. You can sniff out a hole in the wall restaurant with the best of them.
26. Your coleslaw is delicious.
27. You've always made my friends feel apart of the family.
28. You play Scramble with Friends with me (and let me win sometimes)!
29. Your vegetable soup is the best.
30. You have a pretty smile
31. You taught us to say "please" and "thank-you".
32. You taught us to accept everybody.
33. You didn’t allow me to have more than one coke a day while growing up- I still try to stick to this rule.
34. Sweet tea is a staple at your house- even though you only drink unsweet tea.
35. You taught us the importance of a dollar. I still remember going to the fair with a specific amount of money for food and entertainment.  That money had to last us the entire night.  It was up to us as to how we spent it, but once it was gone... it was gone.
36. You never batted an eye when I asked if you would attend Melanie’s Art Retreat with me.
37. You wrote a post on Melanie’s blog that I will treasure forever.
38. You’ve always talked highly of our dad in front of us.
39. You fixed my hair until I was embarrassingly too old to still have my mother fix my hair.
40. You still go through the trouble of stuffing our stockings and wrapping our gifts at Christmas time.
41.  You desire to know more about Jesus.
42. You are crafty (refer to #20… I’m pretty sure you could sew your own clothes if necessary too).
43. You secretly let Fosh use your yellow cupJ. Just kidding!
44. You’ve never been one to “Keep up with the Joneses”- you’ve always just done your own thing.
45. Your family is important to you.
46. You think it should only take five minutes for everyone to fix their hair.
47. You wonder whose legs I inherited knowing full well they are yours made over.
48. You visit me in Tennessee!
49. You have a beautiful heart.
50. You are my favorite lady in the whole wide world.

Happy 50th Birthday, Mom!!  You still look as beautiful as ever. 

I love you!

Brooklyn